[ti:Trump Approves Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum, Exempts Canada, Mexico]
[by:www.51voa.com]
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[00:00.16]President Donald Trump has approved measures
[00:04.25]adding 25 percent tariffs on steel entering the United States
[00:09.80]and 10 percent tariffs on imported aluminum.
[00:15.08]The new taxes are to go into effect in 15 days.
[00:21.28]The president signed the measures in a ceremony at the White House on Thursday.
[00:28.64]Workers employed by U.S. steel and aluminum manufacturers attended the event.
[00:37.40]The president, however, is permitting exceptions to the tariffs
[00:42.52]for metal imports from Canada and Mexico.
[00:47.88]Both countries are currently negotiating with U.S. officials
[00:52.52]to change the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
[00:57.80]The president spoke at a cabinet meeting Thursday morning.
[01:01.98]He said U.S. officials "have a right" to drop or add countries to the list of exceptions.
[01:10.69]Officials said those exemptions would be made on a "case by case"
[01:16.80]and "country by country" basis.
[01:20.84]Earlier, Trump wrote on Twitter,
[01:24.00]"We have to protect & build our Steel and Aluminum Industries
[01:29.08]while at the same time showing great flexibility and cooperation
[01:34.68]toward those that are real...and treat us fairly on both trade and the military."
[01:42.24]Talk of the tariffs brought warnings of a trade war from Europe and China.
[01:49.16]One European Union official even said
[01:52.36]the EU would target goods from areas governed by Trump's Republican Party.
[01:59.48]The president has argued that the tariffs would prevent low-cost imports,
[02:04.68]especially from China, from hurting U.S. industries and jobs.
[02:11.28]In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
[02:15.64]warned a "trade war" would hurt all parties and called for negotiations.
[02:21.64]He added, "China will, of course, make a proper and necessary response."
[02:30.04]China had a record $375.2 billion goods surplus with the United States last year.
[02:39.56]Trade tensions between the world's two largest economies
[02:43.91]have risen since Trump took office in 2017.
[02:49.20]Although China exports little steel to the United States,
[02:53.60]its huge steel production has driven down the price of steel across the world.
[03:01.08]In Brussels, European Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen
[03:05.89]said the EU has told the U.S. that tariffs were a bad idea.
[03:13.04]He said the U.S. lost thousands of jobs
[03:16.61]when it ordered tariffs on steel imported from Europe in the 2000s.
[03:22.92]Another official was firm in his response.
[03:26.64]"If Donald Trump puts in place the measures this evening,
[03:30.92]we have a whole arsenal at our disposal with which to respond,"
[03:35.64]said Peter Moscovici of France.
[03:39.48]He serves as the European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs.
[03:45.68]The European measures could include tariffs on American oranges,
[03:50.40]tobacco and bourbon, he said.
[03:53.81]Some of the goods are produced in parts of the United States where Trump is popular.
[04:00.60]Moscovici said he wanted American lawmakers to know
[04:04.62]that imposing tariffs "would be a ‘lose-lose' situation."
[04:10.24]Trump's plan to tax steel and aluminum imports has faced growing opposition
[04:16.77]from congressional Republicans and American businesses.
[04:21.84]Many were worried about possible effects on the economy.
[04:27.12]More than 100 Republican lawmakers wrote to Trump,
[04:31.28]"We urge you to reconsider the idea of broad tariffs
[04:35.92]to avoid unintended negative consequences to the U.S. economy and its workers."
[04:44.40]Tom Donohue is president of the United States Chamber of Commerce,
[04:49.48]an organization representing American businesses.
[04:54.60]He said, "We urged the administration to take this risk [of a trade war] seriously."
[05:01.24]On Tuesday, Gary Cohn, the president's chief economic advisor,
[05:06.72]announced that he would leave the White House.
[05:10.28]Cohn has long argued for free trade and against tariffs.
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